Syndicate

At once beguilingly sweet and juicy, with a kiss of tartness, cherries are seduction on a stem. And the fruit’s appeal is only enhanced by its limited availability within a season that lasts just a few weeks in most locales, and less than three months overall across the country. Although most other fruits are now predictable fixtures in the food supply, the cherry’s appearance marks a moment for restaurants to enjoy—and exploit—one of nature’s special treats.

It is no secret that business is bubbling for Italy’s Prosecco producers. Total Prosecco sales here in the U.S. now easily surpass Champagne sales and are still growing at a 25% clip. With a friendly, fruit-forward profile, lower alcohol content and moderate price tag, more and more customers are choosing to forego traditional Champagne and order Prosecco instead. It seems that Prosecco has carved out its own niche, a bubbly with a more informal, sprezzatura image, bucking the conventional notion of formality, celebration and splurge. In fact, along with a smaller, but undeniable Cava resurgence, Proseccos have boosted sparkling wine consumption in the U.S. by nearly 50% in less than a decade.

At a handful of restaurant bars around the country, you’re likely to find the bartender in the kitchen—well before prime bar time—using a Vita-Prep or a Cryovac. He or she may be taring a laboratory scale to weigh out precise amounts of gelatin or xanthan. or maybe the bartender is rolling out a liquid-nitrogen tank to perform a spherification or clarification technique for a component of a libation in progress. What’s going on here?

Abundant aromas of blackberry, plum, and currant, with touches of anise, herbs, and violets. Full and jammy palate of black and red summer fruit, licorice, and vanilla, over smoky oak and earth notes. Soft tannins on the lingering finish. A great wine.

Ripe and full aromas of baked apple, pear, vanilla toast, and lemon custard, over mineral notes. Soft and round on the palate, offering pineapple, guava, apricot, and Meyer lemon, with touches of sweet spice and nutty oak. Citrus and minerals on the clean finish. Elegant.

Bright aromas of ripe summer berries, plum, and dried currant, with peppery spice and a hint of earth. Round on the palate, offering raspberry and blackberry flavors, over notes of sandalwood, anise, and minerals. Great value.

Clean floral and fruit aromas of jasmine, pear, white peach, apple, and citrus, over crisp minerals and a touch of brine. Fresh on the palate, with green apple, nectarine, ripe apricot, and flint. Great acidity on the dry finish. Excellent by-the-glass choice.

Aromatic, with honeydew melon, cooked pear, and apricot notes, over sweet blossoms and a hint of brine. Round and smooth on the palate, with yellow peach, lemon tart, and apple flavors, over touches of grapefruit and Mandarin orange. Clean finish with crisp citrus and limestone on the end. Delicious.

Clean and crisp, with aromas of white peach, lemon, Golden Delicious apple, and floral touches. Grapefruit and lemon on the palate, opening up to pear, apricot, and light peach. Refreshing finish. Good by-the-glass pour.

Beautifully made, with earthy and spicy aromas, opening up to ripe black cherry, plum, and a note of cassis. Wonderfully integrated on the palate, offering black cherry, raspberry, and dried currant, over touches of forest floor, dried mushroom, and spice. Mature fruit and smooth tannins on the lingering finish.

Aromas of tropical flowers, citrus, lychee, and lemon, over a mineral and grassy base. Fresh on the palate, with notes of stone fruit, citrus, and slate, and just a hint of honey on the clean, bright finish. Refreshing and delicious.

Aromas of ripe orchard fruit dominate the nose, with apple, orange, and Meyer lemon, over notes of light herbs and limestone. Clean on the palate, with citrus, white peach, pear, and creamy vanilla, over hints of nutty yeast. Balanced, with good acidity and minerals on the finish. Nicely done